Botanica will open on University Avenue by late summer

Joining an emerging NFT boom in the hospitality sector, with restaurants revolving around non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the works for San Francisco and New York City, is Botanica, a new North Park bar that’ll also function as a gallery and marketplace for digital art.

Opening by the end of summer on University Avenue next to Art Produce, the bar is the latest project from Be Saha Hospitality Group, the local team behind Wormwood and Tahona. Designed by Studio Bel, the 1,500-square-foot space will be hung with custom-designed framed display screens, displaying a rotating collection of digital works from artists around the globe. Botanica customers will be able to purchase these virtual collectibles, with sales benefitting the original artists and Create Purpose, a 501c3 nonprofit providing educational programs to orphanages in Mexico, while proceeds from events held in its adjacent urban garden will support the Art Produce Foundation.

Be Saha Hospitality Group

Be Saha founder Amar Harrag developed Tahona to explore mezcal and Wormwood to spotlight absinthe, and this new 48-seat bar and lounge will center around gin and genever, a centuries-old botanical spirit that’s considered the juniper-flavored precursor to gin.

Created by beverage director Marina Ferreira, co-founder of RoseWater Cocktail Club, the drink list will include genever served in traditional stemmed tulip glasses and well as cocktails created from a large collection of gin and other botanical spirits. The bar will also offer educational tasting sessions on gin and genever.

Culinary director Janina Garay and kitchen manager Tiffany Tran, who worked together at the Michelin-starred Addison, are collaborating on Botanica’s bar bites. Based on pintxos, or small snacks that are popular in the Basque country of northern Spain, the menu’s rotating selection will be tailored to pair with drinks.

This content was originally published here.